Various diseases of honey bees
Honeybees like all living organisms are susceptible to diseases and pests, from Nosema ceranae to American foulbrood. However, some of these are more toxic to bee colonies than others, but it is important for the beekeeper to be able to recognize which might be disease, or pest related. Responding to the problem quickly and accordingly is paramount to a healthy colony of bees.

Honeybees only live in colonies therefore it is crucial for the beekeeper to look at the entire colony to determine if the damage is by disease or pests. However, the beekeeper must be careful before assuming that conditions affecting the colony, a drop in honey production or a decline in population for example, can be the result of disease or pests. Pesticides and nutritional deficiencies can also do damage to colonies as well, so it is essential the beekeeper be as informed as possible and quickly seek expert advice when diagnosing problems with the colony. The best place to obtain help with diagnosing diseases or pest problems is with your state's Dept of Agriculture.

There are two distinct life forms in the life cycle of the honeybee, the adult stage and the brood stage and most diseases are specific to either one or the other.

Here are but a few of the more common of the diseases and pests

BACTERIAL DISEASESAMERICAN FOULBROOD (AFB) - This disease is the most widespread and destructive of all the bee brood diseases. It only affects the bee larvae and is highly infectious and deadly to bee brood.

Treatment - Because of the persistence of the spores (which can survive up to 40 years), many State Apiary Inspectors require an AFB diseased hive to be burned completely.

EUROPEAN FOULBROOD (EFB) - is also a bacterium that infests the mid-gut of an infected bee larva. European foulbrood is less deadly to a colony than American foulbrood.

Treatment - A recent technique called 'Shook Swarm' replaces all brood frames in a single operation, thus removing all potentially diseased equipment at one time, helping to minimize disease transfer to effectively control the disease, the advantage being that chemicals are not used

CHALKBROOD - is a fungal disease that infests the gut of the larva. The fungus will compete with the larva for food, ultimately causing it to starve.



Treatment Hives can generally be recovered by increasing the ventilation through the hive.

PARASITESVARROA MITES - have led to the virtual elimination of feral bee colonies in many areas and is a major problem for kept bees in apiaries. The treatments are generally segregated into chemical controls and "mechanical" controls.

ACARINE MITES - is a small parasitic mite that infests the airways of the honeybee. Commonly controlled with grease patties placed on the top bars of the hive.

NOSEMA Ceranae - by far the most damaging adult disease of honeybees. Nosema is normally only a problem when the bees cannot leave the hive to eliminate waste (for example, during an extended cold spell in winter or when the hives are enclosed in a wintering barn). When the bees are unable to void (cleansing flights), they can develop dysentery.

PESTS

Wax Moth - The destruction of the comb will spill or contaminate stored honey and may kill bee larvae. A strong hive generally needs no treatment to control wax moths; the bees themselves will kill and clean out the moth larvae and webs.

Small Hive Beetle - is a small, dark-colored beetle that lives in beehives originally from Africa.

Infestations continued unabated will eventually drive out the colony. Pupation occurs outside of hive in ground so prevention taken to keep fire ants to enter hive are reportedly effective against the Small Hive Beetle.
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